Born in the Dominican Republic, Aquino studied at the Conservatoire National du Strasbourg in France and at Florida International University, where he earned a master’s degree in orchestral conducting. His composition “Espacio Ritual” received its European premiere from the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France in 2015. Other orchestral works have been performed by international ensembles including the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, the Filarmónica Boca del Rio in Mexico and the National Symphony of El Salvador.

Aquino currently serves as musical director for Winter Opera St. Louis, musical director for the Música Sacra concert series in Santo Domingo and director of orchestral studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He previously held posts as director of the National Conservatory of Music, music director of the National Youth Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of “El Sistema” in the Dominican Republic.

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